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Remembering Dale: Texas Rose Bascom and Dale Evans

October 30, 2012

By John Bascom
APPLE VALLEY REVIEW

During the height of their popularity, the western singing couple of Dale Evans and Roy Rogers took time to travel the USO tour where they performed at military hospitals and other military installations.

Also on those tours with Dale and Roy, were Gabby Hayes and Texas Rose Bascom.

Texas Rose Bascom was a famous trick and fancy rope artist. Married to the Utah rodeo cowboy Weldon Bascom, she learned to trick rope professionally following a few rope spinning lessons given by her brother-in-law, Earl Bascom.

Dale Evans and Texas Rose hit it off well the first time they met. On the USO tour, the same nanny took care of the Rogers kids — Cheryl, Linda and Roy, Jr. — as well as the Bascom kids — Rachel, Linda and Sherry.

While their husbands, Roy and Weldon, took time to hunt birds in the wild, Dale and Texas Rose stayed back in the more comfortable terrain of hotels and shops.

Both Dale and Texas Rose were born and raised in the South — Dale in Texas and Rose in Mississippi. They both had married young. And both had starred in Hollywood movies. Both married cowboys. Both are now inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas — Dale in 1995 and Texas Rose in 1981.

Even before these two cowgirls married their cowboy husbands, Roy Rogers and Weldon Bascom, these men had debuted in a Hollywood western movie together in 1936.

The movie was “Rhythm on the Range” starring the famous singer and actor Bing Crosby. This was the first feature of Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers in a Hollywood movie. Weldon Bascom was featured in that very same movie riding a bucking horse at the Madison Square Gardens Rodeo, doubling for Bing Crosby.

Over the years, Dale and Texas Rose’s paths crossed and re-crossed. While Dale Evans became the “Queen of the West,” Texas Rose Bascom was touring the world becoming the “Queen of the Trick Ropers,” roping her way across the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.

Texas Rose Bascom was a contract performer on the rodeo circuit as a trick and fancy roper with the Wild Bill Elliot Show. She is the only known female trick roper to master the skill of spinning three ropes at the same time — twirling a rope in each hand and a third one in her mouth.

Texas Rose Bascom even performed her trick and fancy roping act at the Roy Rogers Apple Valley Inn, during the time her nephew Billy Bascom ran the Roy Rogers Riding Stables.

Dale and Texas Rose both performed on stage, in the theater and on television. Both were in Hollywood western movies. Both married Hollywood cowboys who worked in the movie industry.

Dale Evans’ husband Roy Rogers was part Choctaw Indian from Mississippi. Texas Rose Bascom was part Mississippi Choctaw also.

Dale was known for preaching a good

sermon, while Texas Rose’s husband Weldon was nicknamed “Preacher” by his rodeo buddies because he had served as a church missionary. He, too, could preached a good sermon.

This year of 2012 will be the 100th birthday anniversary of Dale Evans, she being born on Oct. 31, 1912. It is also the 90th birthday anniversary of Texas Rose Bascom, being born on Jan. 25, 1922.

Both Dale Evans and Texas Rose Bascom loved children and gave extensive help to children’s hospitals and children’s homes — Dale being involved with the Happy Trails Children’s Foundation and Texas Rose with the Ettie Lee Homes for youth.

In the hearts of many children and many adults, the memories of Dale Evans and Texas Rose Bascom will live on.